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[chuck&mouse]

Hello my name is Mary we live in GA . my husband has retired and we will be buying our 1st RV to live in. We want to get a travel trailer not a 5th wheel only because they are less expensive and we have a 1/2 ton truck. We have been looking at trailers for over a year now and we are getting ready to purchase I would like recommendations of the best travel trailer to purchase to live in with plenty of counter space ,storage space And hopefully a king size bed with a bedroom big enough you can change in. All suggestions and comments will be helpful thank you.

 

[Neal]

Welcome to RVForums @chuck&mouse. Great to have you join us and I hope those smart on the subject can better assist you.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Hello my name is Mary we live in GA . my husband has retired and we will be buying our 1st RV to live in. We want to get a travel trailer not a 5th wheel only because they are less expensive and we have a 1/2 ton truck. We have been looking at trailers for over a year now and we are getting ready to purchase I would like recommendations of the best travel trailer to purchase to live in with plenty of counter space ,storage space And hopefully a king size bed with a bedroom big enough you can change in. All suggestions and comments will be helpful thank you.

We need more information. what is the tow capacity of your 1/2 ton truck? all trucks are not equal, engine size, trans type, 2x4 or 4x4. all these play a part in how much of a trailer you can haul.

 

[chuck&mouse]

#11000 5.7 Hemi , 8speed, 4×4 Gear ratios 3.92 to 1with tow package

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Welcome to RVF, @chuck&mouse; glad to have you here with us. When considering trailers, be sure to stay well within the tow rating of your truck. Running right at the limit is a recipe for problems. And, sadly, many trailer salespersons will try to sell you a trailer that really isn't suitable for your tow vehicle. Don't fall for that line.

I can't tell by the numbers you provided above whether the "#11,000" is Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR) or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). Be sure that the combined weight of the trailer you buy and the tow vehicle is well within the GCVWR for your truck. Pushing (or exceeding) the GCVWR can result in handling issues, poor performance in the hills and safety issues with braking, etc.

Good luck in your search for the perfect RV for you.

TJ

 

[chuck&mouse]

Thank you so much for your help. Is there any brand of travel trailer we should stay away from?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I know it is not popular but I am not in favor of plastic trailer siding. Most I have seen have at least one bubble mostly in the front. I like aluminum siding because that does not happen. alum frame will not rot, and holds up over the years. Most trailers with aluminum frames are marketed as lite trailers. Make sure that you spend time in the trailer at least enough to know if lite means less structure in the floors. some complain that when they sit at the table a glass of water may well spill because of this weak construction. because every model and year new not so great things are introduced for cost savings the only way to tell what you are getting is to spend some time in the trailer and look at older models for flaws that become obvious with age. I like the Thor Airstream trailers. but alas my beer income is not quite compatible with the price.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

#11000 5.7 Hemi , 8speed, 4×4 Gear ratios 3.92 to 1with tow package

You could be given specs for my truck a 16' ram I would have to add crew cab to the spec of my truck and 500 lbs less according to the ram site for my truck the 4x4 also subtracts from what the truck can handle. I don't consider gcvw because I have a 6800 gvw trailer with a 1000 gvw harbor freight trailer I pull behind that. Yes I double pull and I have a fifth wheel trailer. Only limitation are the coastal states and I am finished with seeing the world so to speak.